Foods from India - Punjab

December 19, 2015

For those of you who are wondering if I've got a screw loose, posting a rich Indian chicken 'kari' the weekend before Christmas, I'm blaming it on the office holiday potlucks.

This week I made this chicken in enormous batches for both Mr Hubby's and my office holiday potlucks. It was a hit and between the two of us we've ended up with so many recipe requests, that I'm compelled to get working on it this morning.

A shout out especially to Barb, who wants to make this for her family on Dec 23rd!

Chicken Jalfrezi is chicken cooked in its own juices with vegetables such as green bell pepper, red bell pepper & cilantro in a rich gravy with tomatoes and spices.

Once you've got the the masala pastes made in the blender and cut up the vegetables, the rest is easy! It requires a slow and long simmer for about an hour for delicious results.

I've always made this when I need to make huge batches of chicken for a party and it never fails!

September 27, 2014

Chickpeas or Chole is a staple in most Indian homes. Though most commonly prepared in North-India, mainly in the Punjab region, versions of the dish are also prepared in Sindh, Gujarat & Rajasthan.

It is often eaten with a type of fried bread called Bhaturas and the two together is known as Choley Bhatura. One of the finest Choley recipes comes down from Amritsar, one of the main districts in Punjab and what follows is an interpretation of its cooking style. This is not one of the those dishes that is authored by a particular person but rather a style & methodology that is handed down from one family to another, one generation to the next, each adding their own touches and creative liberties.

Now my Mother never made Bhaturas at home but she makes a phenomenal Chole; a recipe taught to her by my Grandfather that i must post soon.

However, I have distinct memories of going down to our neighborhood restaurant Puranmal to feast on Chole Bhaturas. It was a small restaurant & sweets store and just a few minutes drive from our home. On some weekend mornings, I would pine for Chole Bhatura and my Mother and I would walk down to the street corner to flag down the first available 3-wheeler or rickshaw.

Puranmal was on such a busy street and it was always impossible to find parking that it was much easier to rely on rickshaws though with the precarious driving of the rickshawalas you always stood the chance of being thrown out as they veered the corner at neck breaking speed! But for a good Choley Bhatura, I'd withstand that & more!

Now what I loved most about Puranma Bhatura's were they were the size of footballs (soccer balls in the US?), all puffed up & crispy & the choley was served almost dry with savory & tangy flavors. Just about every Indian you meet will have their own favoriteroadside eatery so it's kind of fun to hear people talk about their favorite food spots in their respective cities.

Soon after I left India my mother informed me that Puranmal had closed down in some big brouhaha among family members, all very scintillating and spicy like their chole. haha....

So anyway back to the chole - the preparation & cooking of Amritsari Chole involves 4 parts & to make life easier for everyone, I am going to separate the ingredients & cooking method for each step.

There are some unique features to this recipe -

The chick peas (choley) are cooked with black tea bags or a immersion strainer filled with black tea leaves. Why? Quite simply, to achieve a dark color - the flavors are not at all intrusive unless you use some fruity, peach/echinaecea concoction - please don't!

Salt - the salt used through out is an equal mix of regular white salt & black salt (readily available in Indian stores) and quite essential for authentic results. The salt is mixed in equal parts, so it is a good idea to mix 1 tbs white salt & 1 tbs black salt and set aside - to be used throughout the recipe as & when called for.

Part 1 - Cook Chick Peas

Begin by soaking dried chick peas in plenty of water overnight (at least 3 times the amount of chick peas) I do not recommend that you use canned chick peas.

Once you have soaked the chickpeas overnight they will swell up with water. Drain away the water.

Cover the pressure cooker with lid & whistle. On high heat, build up pressure for 5 minutes. Then lower heat to low setting and pressure cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave alone for about 20 minutes or until the pressure has subsided & the whistle comes off with no resistance.

Drain and reserve the chick peas liquid from the pressure cooker - you should be left with about 1-1/2 cups liquid. Set aside.

Cook's note - To get this nice dark coloring for the chickpeas, use tea leaves in an immersion ball strainer. If you use tea bags you will end up with a lighter coloring.

Part 2 - Choley Spices (masala)

Feel free to do this in advance or the day before to save time.

Gather:

6 cloves

1" bark cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin powder

1 tsp ground coriander powder

2 tsp dried pomegranate seeds

In a clean non-stick frying pan, on medium heat saute the spices all together for a minute or so, until the scent of the spices hits you - the first one that reaches me is always the coriander.

Turn off the heat & empty into a clean dry bowl to cool.Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

In a coffee grinder, dry grind to a fine powder. This may take a few minutes & a few pulses.

Remove to a clean dry bowl.

To the choley spices, add:

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbs salt mix

1 tsp dry mango powder (available in Indian stores - also known as Aam Chur)

In a large saute pan, add ghee & on medium heat bring to fuming. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaves and as soon as the cumin seeds simmer, add the chopped onions.

Saute for 10-15 minutes or until the onions are soft, have turned transparent and are just beginning to slightly brown. Do not allow the onions to brown.

While the onions are sauteing, to a clean bowl remove 1 cup of the cooked chick peas. With a potato masher, mash the chickpeas best you can. This will help thicken the Choley once it is being simmered.

Once the onions are sauteed add the chick peas (the mashed ones as well) to the onions and stir. Add the reserved chick peas liquid.

With a potato masher, go around the whole pan 5-6 times the mash the chick peas some more.

Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes on low-medium heat.

Cook's Note - This tastes much better if it is allowed to sit a while. Prepare this earlier in the day for dinner or the night before.

This is best served with Bhaturas or Pooris - a match made in heaven this one!

This is fantastic meal to have with friends, eaten in groups when you are craving something a little out of the way. Also, you don't need to fix anything else with it. It's a meal in itself. Also, kids couldn't get enough of it either. Go - mom!

Recipe for

AMRITSARI CHOLE

Overnight to soak chickpeas

Preparation time - 30 minutes

Cooking time - about 30 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list:

Salt mix - 1 tbs black salt + 1 tbs regular salt - mixed together

Part 1 - The chick peas

2 cups dried chick peas

1 tbs black tea leaves

1 stainless steel tea immersion ball

5 green cardamom pods

Part 2 - Choley Spices (masala)

6 cloves

1" cinnamon bark

1 tsp ground cumin powder

1 tsp ground coriander powder

2 tsp dried pomegranate seeds

1 tsp garam masala powder

Part 3 = Part 1 + Part 2

1 large tomato

1" fresh ginger root - enough to yield 1-1/2 tbs chopped

1 - Green chilly (Thai)

Part 4 -

1 large onion

2 dried bay leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 tbs Ghee

Preparation -

Part 1 - Cook Chick Peas

Begin by soaking dried chick peas in plenty of water overnight (at least 3 times the amount of chick peas) Drain away the water.

On medium heat saute the spices all together for a minute or so, until the scent of the spices hits you - the first one that reaches me is always the coriander. Turn off the heat & empty into a clean dry bowl to cool.

Set aside for 5-10 minutes. In a coffee grinder, dry grind to a fine powder. This may take a few minutes & a few pulses. Remove to a clean dry bowl.

To the choley spices, add the garam masala powder, salt mix & dry mango powder (available in Indian stores - also known as Aam Chur) Combine once again and set aside.

February 19, 2014

And it's always been with regard to her expertise in fish preparation. With her ancestral Bangladeshi roots, knowledge about fish and fish preparation goes with the territory. It's where Bengali's prevail! This is a well known fact in India's vast and diverse culinary labyrinth.

What was unknown to me were her 'wicked' meat cooking skills!

My father-in-law has a lot to do with this. You see in first 8 years of our marriage, my father-in-law never ate any kind of meat. Fish and vegetables was the staple. It was only on one of visits after many years did we learn that my father-in-law had once again begun eating meat. This allowed so much more freedom in the kitchen which was like a breathe of fresh air to us carnivorous women!

What makes this chicken unique is the very simple and brilliant use of while spices - whole coriander seeds, an array of ground spices as well as the marinating & stewing the chicken in yogurt. These subtle variations believe it or not brings a whole new dimension to the flavor of the dish which I know you'll appreciate as much as I do.

October 25, 2013

'Kadhai' cooking is a kind of stir-fry from india. These dishes are originally cooked is round-bottom iron pots in a shape similar to woks but without the handle.

It is believed that Kadhai cooking first originated in Peshawar, Pakistan but is as much a part of
the culinary fabric of North Indian cooking in Punjab as it is in Pakistan.

These dishes are served in the very same pot they are cooked in - from fire to table!

Kadhai gravies are traditionally richly spiced tomato gravies in
which vegetables or meats are cooked at high temperatures to
succulent, tender and delicious perfection.

I warn you, as you go through the recipe, you'll probably think at least once, that I must be fibbing about how great it's going to taste because for 80% percent of it's cooking life it continues to remain a-very-blah-chicken-cooked-in-tomatoes dish.

It's in the last 15 minutes where the dish literally transforms from frumpy to sparkle!

There is one catch though; none of the ingredients should be omitted and you really should take the time to fresh grind the spices and garlic paste.

This will be by far one of the tastiest chicken dishes to grace your dinner table and I would definitely include this in my dinner party menu. Rave reviews are sure to follow!

September 19, 2013

Sooner or later, if you love good Indian food and make it often, you're going to need a recipe for both these chutneys.

The hari chutney and Imli chutney - one spicy and refreshing, the other hot and sweet are pillars of the chutney community. You'll find them served either seperately or together depending on the dish but more often than not they go hand in hand like bread and butter.

Especially popular with street foods and other deep fried finger foods all through the country, they add so much tpo each bite as palate cleansers and tantalizing the taste buds, all at once.

Be it vadas, samosas, pakoras or bhel, these chutneys are like dollops of magic that make the dish.

I certainly couldn't do without these and the home made version are so much more superior than the watery insipid versions commercially available that I guarantee you'll be making these again and again.

Undoubtedly, these delightfully tasty, savory pastries are one of India's great gifts to the world.

There are so many version and varieties of stuffing but I think the very beginning is a very good place to start - basic samosas with spicy potato and pea filling that are at the heart of Punjabi cooking.

The real achievement when it comes to samosas is a crust that is crispy without being hard and a filling that is spicy and tangy. The tanginess is achieved with either the use of ground pomegranate seeds or dried mango powder - amchur.

I have chosen to use amchur in this recipe. Unlike, short cut versions that use mashed potatoes that are spiced and used as filling, dicing the potatoes are cooking them in pure ghee with minimal water until tender and a rich fragrant flavor to the potatoes.

To cut the spice, I love using raisins for that occasional burst of sweetness and cashews for that occasional crunch.

September 09, 2013

For as long as I can remember, I have always craved my Mum's Murgh Methi.

It is a long tradition which begins with buying bunches of fresh fenugreek leaves with roots intact. I have always known Mum to spread the lot over a newspaper where she would then separate the leafy tips from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens.

It is a process that is quite time consuming and I would often help as a kid which also encourages long mother-daughter chats over some hot chai.

As I watch her repeat this over some 40 years, I realise that somethings have not changed. She painstainkingly seperates the leaves in preparation for lunch just as she always has. She may be a little slower and in her face I see remnants of the stunningly beautiful woman I remember as a kid. That woman has now given way to an older, graceful and elegant woman she is today.

We're very different in the kitchen - mum and I. She calls me a hurricane. My mum on the other hand never rushes. She does everything with care following the rituals she always has. Watching her cook makes me smile. It reminds me of simpler times when perhaps everything wasn't on a deadline and it was alright to spend a couple of hours slowly in preparation for lunch.

It seems as though in my life, multi-tasking has become second nature. My mother wouldn't dare, especially when it comes to her signature murgh methi.

Make no mistake, she is isn't the only one who makes murgh methi. In fact you'll often find this on restaurant menus and in homes where everything from heavy cream, tomato puree to half the spices from the pantry are emptied into the pot. And the result in my humble opinion, is far from gratifying.

Mum uses none of that. She is a purist and with just a handful of ingredients and her signature technique - slow-slow sauteing, she achieves what I believe is one of her finest contributions to chicken.

June 25, 2013

It's at the heart of Hyderabadi cuisine. The ingredients are a handful of what is used in almost all regions of Indian cuisine.

But it is this singular technique that sets it apart - worlds apart.

If you've never really ever tasted Hyderabadi cuisine or a gravy from this region, then chances are you've never really tasted a gravy with such 'depth'.

It is impossible to imagine that the same ole' onions, ginger and garlic could be sauteed into something this remarkable. And all because of low heat and big time.

This chicken gravy is full of hidden depths and no secrets.

The sunflower seeds, cashew nuts and ghee add the final touches. But by then, if you're like me, you'll already be floored. By all means these lovely little touches are enhancements, not essential but rewarding nevertheless.

February 07, 2013

Stir up those taste buds with this wonderful North Indian dish of spicy roasted eggplant.

Tempered with cumin seeds, sauteed with onions & tomatoes and a scatter of peas, it makes a delightful addition to a North Indian dinner and just as good on it's own.

Be sure to serve it with a traditional North Indian bread like parathas, naan & rotis.

Whole wheat pitas warmed up will serve just as well in a pinch.

Traditionally in the villages of the Punjab, the eggplants are roasted on charcoals or in a tandoor (earthen oven) giving it a wonderful smoky flavor.

However in the modern home kitchen, this is best emulated using either of these methods:

Placing the eggplants over an open gas stove flame and roasting the eggplant until the skin bubbles and chars on all sides.

OR

Using the oven broiler.

I really like the mess & fuss free broiler pan method that also has the added advantage of being hands free leaving your hands to prepare the rest of the ingredients while the eggplants are merrily doing their thing in the oven.

January 14, 2013

Your average restaurant version Butter Chicken is usually a dish with just one beat - sweet.

It lacks the palimpsest of flavors, the real melody, form and complexity that comes when this dish is made well and made at home.

Makhani gravy which directly translates into cream gravy, as the name implies has some cream in the gravy but is mainly a tomato based gravy. To this gravy, succulent pieces of freshly made, boneless tandoori chicken is simmered.

As the story the goes, the original Chicken Makhani was created by fluke at the Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi on the outskirts of the walled city back in the 1950's. The restaurant was famous for it's Tandoori chicken and the chefs began to reserve leftover pieces of roasted neck, wing tips etc along with their juices.

On one occasion, tomatoes and butter was tossed in with the chicken and juices to create what we now call Chicken Makhani. The Delhites couldn't get enough of the stuff only to spread like wild fire the world over. Like many good ole' stories, the source, the etymology has long since been forgotten but the love of the dish remains.

There are too many versions of the recipe out there and some have even foregone the tandoori chicken (bloody hell!). This version stays true to it's Delhi roots.

A handful of ingredients come together and like in so many dishes when the ingredients are few, the quality plays an ever important role. Simple ingredients like the ginger-garlic paste, should be freshly made in the grinder or food processor (like a Magic Bullet) capable of preparing smooth pastes.

Also, none of the ingredients should be omitted especially the kasuri methi which is basically dried fenugreek leaves that adds that vital flavor that carries ordinary Makhani gravy into the realm of extraordinary.

Mediocre restaurant versions also use food coloring while making the gravy and especially while making the tandoori chicken. There is simply no need for this. Why would you want to ingest red dye 40 with your food?

So leave that to the restaurants and keep your homemade butter Chicken, pure, true to the original and insanely, lip smackingly delicious!

August 29, 2012

Garam masala is used extensively in North Indian and Pakistan cuisine is a spice blend that is as organic as it is singular. Garam masala ~ garam (hot) and masala (spices) is a blend of whole spices that are roasted and ground to a powder.

A spice blend that is fragrant and pungent and hence the term 'garam' here refers not to heat i.e. capsaicin content but rather to the intensity of the spices as they come together.

I consider it organic because it is a recipe that has evolved with each family.

Though varied in composition of spices and each family uses its own signature recipe its foundation remains intact. It is not unheard of that in some family recipe as many as 36 whole spices are used to blend their garam masala.

I do add a bit of fennel seeds in mine though my mother does not and I know others who substitute it with nutmeg.

Tweak to your heart's content but know this, store bought garam masala can never come close to homemade and since it can last fragrant for up to a year if refrigerated in an airtight container, now there's simply no excuse to grind up some of your own.

August 22, 2012

If there is one thing Punjabis like as much as their chole (chickpeas) & paneer, it's stewing meat in its own juices and finishing it with yogurt.

Punjabi cooking, not to be confused with Mughlai cooking has been around long before the latter. And though those lines are getting blurred, no thanks to commercial establishments & freezer packed to-go pouches, it's incredibly simple to tell your Masala from your Qorma.

The Punjabis however, keep their meat rules simple: bhuno or saute the meat with spices (biggest rookie mistake is foregoing this step), stew the meat in its own juices & and then with yogurt. Not forgetting the ghee, cilantro leaves and ground black pepper to finish.

August 15, 2012

It's not uncommon in India for dishes to be named after the type of pots they are cooked in.

'Kadhai' cooking which is very similar to stir-fries are originally cooked is round bottom iron pots known as kadhais and are known to have first originated in Peshawar, Pakistan.

With the partition of India into the now India and Pakistan in 1947, the same day India gained independance from the the British which is on this very day in fact (Happy Birthday India), irrespective of its origins kadhai cooking is as much part of the fabric North Indian cooking in Punjab as it is in Pakistan.

The dished are served in the very same pot they are cooked in - from fire to table!

And though the kadhais may have now been modernised using stainless-steel or sandwiched copper bottoms, this remains unchanged. Kadhai gravies are richly spiced tomato gravies in which vegetables or meats are quickly stir-fried at high temperatures to succulent, tender and delicious perfection.

This rendition using India's favorite cheese, paneer is absolutely delicious and packs quite a punch whether served in company, potluck dinners or at family meals. Naan is the perfect accompaniment.

June 25, 2012

When baby red potato globes grace my supermarket bins in large mounds, it invariably means that Dum Aloo is about to make an appearance on the dinner or brunch table.

Dum Aloo is yet another example of how simple kitchen staples from Kashmir and North-India have been mostly over-done, over-spiced and over-creamed to point beyond recognition.

It is also the reason why I hold traditional cooks like my mother, my mother-in-law and my grand-mother who hold on to authentic recipes with hoops of steel in such esteem and reverence. I think they represent a dying breed - the last of the stalwarts who continue to carry forward recipes of their mothers and grandmothers resolute against tv-chef-doms that seems to be changing the face of traditional Indian cuisine into cream based-tomato paste versions of everything.

It therefore is startling when at a dinner party the one thing that gets rave reviews and numerous recipe requests are these potatoes from my mother-in-law's kitchen. So simple is this recipe that when I recite it in person, it is looked upon with disbelief.

A sense of - "how is it possible, that some thing so simple tastes this good? surely she's holding out on us".

Except that I am not.

It far more difficult to cook simply, to be simple and there-in lies true art.

December 07, 2011

The fact that I am fixing Palak Pakoras must mean one and only one thing ~ it's raining cats and dogs & pails!

In fact it gets much much worse. Tonight's forecast reads verbatum from the National Weather Service is as follows....

.........WINTRY MIX OF RAIN AND SLEET CHANGING OVER TO SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET.

So you see, pakoras it is! Pakoras and rain (or sleet) go together like Jack and Jill, cucumber and dill, Lewis and Clarke....you get the drift.

Growing up in India, I urge you to find me one family that didn't wake up on a cold rainy morning to the words "Pakora aur chai ho jaaye"which loosely translates into " Pakoras and tea it is!". Call it cultural, I call it utterly delicious.

What's not to love of besan, a chickpea batter flavored with whole spices like coriander and carom seeds, red chillies and turmeric into which is nestled fresh spinach leaves, fresh ginger and onions, globs of which are dropped into hot oil just so they rise to the surface all light and airy?

Now imagine eating these hot off the stove with piping hot chai ~ see what I mean? Some traditions are just meant to be.

October 25, 2011

The first time I met Mr. Hubby's extended family over a decade ago, they all asked me if I had ever eaten my Mother-in-law's Channar Jilipi for which she holds the unrivaled reputation of making, like no other.

While the Gulab Jamun, is its dumpy brother Channar Jilipi is its feminine reinvention. Sporting slender curves and incredibly delicate, Channar Jilipi is bound to give Gulab Jamuns a complex!

At it's best, both have a heart that is soft with a melt-in-your-mouth center that is bursting with intensely flavored syrup as you bite into it. Alas, more often than not, most end up a hard 'rock' at its core. And that dearies is what separates the novices from the whiz'.

So when my mother-in-law affectionately, Ma was visiting for a few weeks this summer (and since we both share the same passion for good cooking and food) we decided to put our heads together and make Channar Jilipi. The basis of the partnership was simple, she teach - I learn, with two notable and from what I understand, ground breaking differences.

I convinced Ma that we should skip the boring old, 'add lemon to curdle the milk' step and instead reach for store-bought Ricotta in the refrigerator aisle. Gasp! Well why not? That's exactly how Ricotta is made and imagine skipping such a tedious step for the modern kitchen (if it worked that is)

Dubious she was indeed but what a good sport and agreed to give it a go. Just when she'd come to terms with this, I suggested we get rid of good old fashioned kneading and use the food processor. Now we were both really nervous but ventured on, brave faced and all.

Enter, Ma - you must understand, the pillar of Indian kitchen is 'andaaza' - don't bother asking our Mums for recipes, they don't have one. They do everything by proportion and then a splash of this and a dash of that i.e. 'andaaza'. The proportion is critical and you never mess with it. I am quite used to my own Mum and grandma exchange recipes in the form of 1:7 - butter : flour. Sorta reminds me of mixing cement, same concept, 1:3:4 just in case you wanted to know.

To make these spiral lovelies, one essentially needs equal parts of khoya : Ricotta to which is added a smidgen of flour and other flavor adding ingredients such as cardamom seeds and sugar.

So where to buy Khoya?

Khoya which is essentially reduced milk to its solid/thickened form, is sold as a 'brick' in Indian-Pakistani grocery stores, in the refrigerated section and is essential to this recipe. Ricotta is available in regular grocery stores.

Channar Jilipi are heavily in demand in Bengal while Gulab Jamun, its globular brother is made all over India, especially during Deepavali - the festival of lights seeing how you too are going to fall madly in love with these sweet, curvy delights!

August 20, 2011

Growing up, koftas was one of my favorite foods of choice. Which kid doesn't like meatballs? And almost all cultures have their own particular culinary expression of spectacularly flavored balls of meat.

Mum would usually make hers with ground mutton or goat meat with the distinct flavor of peppercorns in every bite. Having left India, finding excellent quality spring goat meat, which by the way is far more superior to lamb since it has neither the toughness nor the pungent odor, was quite hard to find. Don't get me wrong, I love spring lamb when cooked right but spring goat is in a league entirely its own!

And so I turned to the meat of which there was plenty i.e. chicken. Interestingly enough this posed yet another problem - It is nearly impossible to create chicken meatballs i.e. koftas that are succulent and moist that don't turn into tough rubbery balls of meat.

The answer to this lies in the addition of ground pork. You don't need a lot, just half the quantity of the ground chicken you are using but the results are fantastic! Moist succulent and flavorful spheres of chook heaven.

Now I may have convinced you to add the pork but my own Mum is proving to be a rather tough customer. Its been years and every time we have a conversation about chicken koftas & I add my two cents worth aboutadding the ground pork, I can hear her less than enthusiastic unhaa...unhaa..transmitted across the sound waves. Noncommittal followed by a swift change of topic!

OK, I need to look at it from Mum's point of view. Most traditional Indian families in India don't set out to buy pork on a regular basis if at all. They tolerate it if it is served in restaurants or when traveling abroad but to seek it out goes against their grain. The exception to this rule are the Goan Christian inhabitants who favor pork more than any other meat.

But here in the great void of the world wide web, I have this to say to Mum - Since she & Dad tolerate pork in all those wonderful creations served up just for them at China Garden & Ling's Pavilion (their favorite restaurants by far) surely she can go to the market and buy a 1/2 lb of ground pork when she does end up making Chicken koftas a la her daughter.

Surely the shop that sells those cocktail sausages at Pali Naka will have little bags of it ready to go without your having to see big pig heads on a stake at the abattoir.

The figurative ball or should I say 'kofta' as they say is now in Mum's court!

March 08, 2011

Is it odd that some of my fondest childhood memories are nestled in a plateful of spicy ground meat with hot bread rather than some sweet confection?

Perhaps.

Growing up my weekends would punctuated by late weekend brunches with Mum's Kheema and while Mum was busy preparing the kheema, Dad and I would get into out little jonquil colored Italian Fiat and drive down to our favorite pao-wala (bread man) who worked out of a little tin shack on the side of the street and pick up hot slabs of bread loaves (paos) sold by the dozen at which point these are known as ladis. Very Mumbai, this.

Oh yes! Those were amazing times and these memories will forever warm my soul. As Mum brought the Kheema to the dinner table here in the US, we served it with hot oven baked Naan. I hope you remember my recent post on Homemade Naan. What a delight to have these come straight out of our oven and Dad says it rivals some of the finest he has eaten growing up. Now there's a compliment if there ever was one!

Any way not to my surprise, the conversation at the dinner table drifted back to those wonderful slabs of hot paos so common in Mumbai. Of all the things from back home, pao is on my top ten list. Turns out, unlike bread here in the US that does so well in the freezer and therefore keeps for extended periods of time, pao turns into soggy loafs once you take them out of the freezer. So the question that comes to my mind is, what do they put in the bread here that makes it freezer friendly?

Hmmm....should we plead the fifth on this one ?

For now, I think we'll just have to stick with hot homemade Naan's, shamelessly slathered with butter along with Mum's delicious kheema with whole spices and herbs.

The kheema is traditionally ground goat meat found at Pakistani halal stores here in the US (use lamb if you must) of fine quality and is stewed with onions and spices and it then sauteed till it is nearly dry and the ghee simmers to the surface. So aromatic is dish and yet utterly simple that it has been a staple for generations - my grandfather, my Dad, myself and now my kids! You know something is special when it stands the test of time and turns into a family tradition.

January 11, 2011

My memories of this, one of my favorite chicken preparations is Mum perched on the greenish-black 'kota'stone kitchen counter top, a foot stool below her to help her up from her 5 ft height. The situation only compounded by the fact that atop the stove were my mother's very old tall copper & iron ore pots & if she didn't perch herself onto the counter top, there was no way mum would see past the side of the pot much less in the pot!

I know this is a food blog but that doesn't mean I can't share tidbits about building materials can I? So just 'coz you asked, 'kota' stone is a fine-grained variety of limestone quarried in the 'Kota' district in Rajasthan, India. Moving on...

My mother has a lot of patience when it comes to cooking which is at complete odds with my style & she often refers to me as 'the tornado in the kitchen'.

So when Mum makes one of her signature dishes, she'd always pull out the footstool and seat herself up on the counter top and patiently get cooking. I'd dare not do this in my home with the cheap particle board & plywood construction frame - I reckon me being a fat girl in a fat body, I'd bring the entire freakin' counter top down, cabinets & all!

Anyway, back home Dad being an Architect, our counter tops (frame and all) are custom designed in stone & short of an actual tornado (not talking about moi here) nothing is going to bring it down!

Growing up, one of my most vivid memories whenever this chicken was being cooked is that as soon as the chicken broth was done, Mum would have made extra and call me for my 'thaakath' drink which in Hindi means 'strength potion'. There was no arguing here, not that I would - I mean it was delicious but even if it was hotter (as in chilly hot) than usual, there would be no arguments and I'd have to drink a cup of it down.

Incidentally, I've tried this with my own kids and it doesn't work - they run the other way as soon they hear me calling & see one of my nameless creations cooking in the pot!

November 05, 2010

If I were asked to sum up my childhood in one meal then that meal for me is undoubtedly Yakhni Pulao. If what you see before you is just a plate of meat and rice then let me share with you what you aren't seeing - this is a plate with a story to tell.

A story about tradition, knowledge passed down from father to son and now father to daughter and daughter to sons not by the written word but by little anecdotes and "see here's" and sentences that invariably begin with "Your Grandfather, your Dadaji would say........."

This plate also tells the tale about honesty - honest ingredients meet on a plate and the the story that then unfolds is less about the Cook and more about the Dish. Just a handful of excellent ingredients come together and unleash an explosion of flavors. And the true foundation of this dish begins not in the kitchen but at the butcher shop where only the finest quality of meat can yield the perfect result of a perfect pulao.

Growing up, it was quite common to see my father wake up in the wee hours of the morning and drive to the butcher shop so he would be able to select the finest slab of meat, still unloading off the delivery truck. On days that I would join him, he'd say "You know your Dadaji (paternal Grandfather) would be able to choose the perfect quality of meat that would cook in 20 minutes flat!"

Back at home Mum would be busy preparing for the meat that would soon make an appearance. Probably still huddled in their jammies, the dinner guests, friends of the family who have savored the delights of this dish in the past, would often call Mum voicing their anticipation for the evening feast ahead.

It is even more delightful that today this meal is being prepared by Dad himself because when it comes to this signature dish, no one does it better! I silently stand back in the wings, taking notes while Mum is scurrying about the kitchen handing him the next ingredient. This is a dance that I have always watched them do when Dad is at the helm in the kitchen.

So without further ado, for the sake of my sons, here is Daadu's pearls of wisdom as he brings us all his signature Yakhni Pulao!

September 26, 2010

There is nothing quite like hot, buttered Naan with a North Indian meal. To this day, Naan is usually prepared in a clay oven or tandoor.

So I'm tickled to death that I was able to recreate this quintessential Indian bread in my American kitchen with no special equipment but for a broiler oven and a baking stone.

It took a few trials and errors but I think this is IT!

This recipe is so close to the real thing, that as I had my nose glued to a hot Naan as I butteredit - I was hit by a wave of nostalgia and I was instantly transported to a dhaaba (road side eatery) in India. Here's why - wait for it...... NO yeast!

If you've ever eaten a Naan prepared with yeast, I think you'll agree that it's a bit like eating a naked pizza crust and then it has that unpleasant smell to it. Not here, folks!

If I haven't yet sold you to the idea of homemade Naan , how about the savings - it cracks me up when I see people check out a $3.99 piece of pre-made Naan at the grocery story when for that, we could make enough for 6 people! And, we can use the dough cycle or knead cycle on the bread machine or food processor - so no back breaking kneading involved.

I don't know if you can tell, but I am so excited about this recipe coming together, that I can break into song and dance. So lets get cooking instead!

August 07, 2010

We had some acquaintances over to dinner the other night. They are some friends of friends and we had only met them a couple of times at community gathering events. They had heard of my cooking skills (not shy am I?) and they wanted some authentic home cooked Indian grub. So we invited them.

One of the ladies saw that I was using ghee and she started talking to the other women about how she picked up a bottle of fragrant ghee at this high end organic foods store (for something like 8 or 9 bucks). Now no offense, but I have experienced some of these ready made ghee's available in the high end markets and all I can say is - close but no cigar!

I realized as I was stirring the dal that as long as one can get their hands on sweet cream butter (I bought 2 lbs on sale at 1.59/lb just to make ghee) and stir a pot, you can get the most awesome, liquid, golden ghee in 45 minutes flat, for one-thirds the cost and double the quantity!

Now for those of you unfamiliar with ghee, it is also known as clarified butter and it is fantastic in rice dishes, Indian cooking and makes a mean steak au poivre to tow -- you think I'm kidding - try it and see for yourself.

I cook my steak with nothing but - and here's why. It has a much higher burning point, than butter and I think of it as the 'clean fuel of cooking fat'. Good term, eh?

It has no strong discernible flavor so you can use it in just about anything - roasted veggies, roasted potatoes (to die for) and almost all Indian cooking - for which olive oil has too strong a flavor and scent. Do you what my favorite food in ghee is? Fried eggs! Yummy!

Seriously you have to see to believe what is left is left of my couple of years old box grater.
You'd think I have been placing my posterior on it for hours on end - everyday!
No - this is the result of normal wear and tear.

April 23, 2010

There are countless varieties and styles of Tandoori cooking. Unfortunately for most, if you have only ever eaten at a 'run of the mill' Indian restaurant here in the US, then you have probably tasted but one or two styles of tandoori cooking - doused in orange food coloring! With this recipe you are in for a welcome refreshing surprise!

It is hard to imagine that anyone would sink to their knees in rapturous delight at sight of chicken leg quarters on sale for $0.77 cents/lb. But then most people don't know that these humble chicken appendages are essential to preparing one of the finest fresh herb tandoori delicacies in the North Indian kabab repertoire! - Hariyali Tangdi kababs.

A direct translation of this dish - Hariyali Tangdi kabab - are leg (chicken)kababs in an abundance of greens & herbs. Quite honestly, there is no better explanation.

Traditionally, these & all North Indian kababs are cooked in a clay oven, known as tandoor. It used to cook everything from a variety of breads such as Naan & Tandoori roti to a vast selection of kababs which are marinated grilled meats, seafood & vegetables.

The traditional tandoor is a clay oven fired by charcoal. And despite an advent of modern contraptions it is nearly impossible to achieve the flavor & the aroma that comes from grilling in a traditional tandoor. However, in the modern kitchen, a gas grill, a gas broiler or charcoal grill do manage to produce fabulous results so we just may be able to overlook not having a charcoal tandoor in our kitchens!

If you are ever going to begin cooking wonderful mouthwatering kababs at home, I urge you begin with this one. With a whir of a mini-chopper, a little bit of planning for the marination, 20 minutes on a grill or broiler & you will be in culinary heaven. By the way, I do not recommend that you substitute with chicken breasts because they have a tendency to dry out.

Hariyali Tangdi kababs are also a marvelous dish to serve at a large party because you can produce massive amounts cheaply & quickly without anyone ever realizing that they are eating economical cuts of chicken as they will be so enthralled by its flavor. Promise!

Broiler - If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot. Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer.

Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side.

Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown.